Tag: nfl player comparison

Zamir White compared to former Dallas Cowboys RB

Georgia Bulldogs running back Zamir White has been compared to Marion Barber ahead of the 2022 NFL draft

Georgia Bulldogs running back Zamir “Zeus” White has helped his cause with a good NFL combine and predraft process. White is expected to be selected on Day 2 or Day 3 of the 2022 NFL draft.

White is a former five-star recruit who overcame a pair of ACL injuries to have a great college football career with Georgia. White finished his career with 25 rushing touchdowns and averaged more than five yards per carry.

White played the role of a bruising running back for Georgia. James Cook and Kenny McIntosh were the Bulldogs’ better receiving backs. White has impressive physical abilities and is one of the toughest running backs to tackle in the the 2022 NFL draft.

Zamir White has been compared to former Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber ahead of the NFL draft. Who is Marion Barber?

Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber (24) carries the ball. Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Marion Barber had a seven-season NFL career from 2005-2011. He played six seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and one season with the Chicago Bears. Barber scored 59 total touchdowns and accumulated 4,780 rushing yards in his NFL career.

Barber was selected in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL draft out of Minnesota. White will likely be selected in a similar round in the 2022 NFL draft.

Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has to say about White’s best traits and biggest weaknesses ahead of his rookie NFL season:

White is a naturally powerful runner with a lower half that is hard to knock off-balance no matter how clean the shot. He’s not very dynamic as a runner but is a two-way creator with lateral jump-cuts to avoid tackles and the power to run through them. He’s a wide-base runner who should excel in gap and inside zone schemes, but his running style might not lend itself to a long career. He has two ACL tears in his background and is unlikely to play on passing downs, but he’s a formidable “thunder” back waiting to be paired with a “lightning” cohort and will give running games a chance to test the resolve of defenses for four full quarters.

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Who is Derion Kendrick’s NFL comparison?

Georgia defensive back Derion Kendrick won a pair of national titles in his college football career at UGA and Clemson

Georgia defensive back Derion Kendrick won a pair of national titles during his college football career. Now, he is poised to move up to the next level.

Kendrick faced elite competition throughout his college career. He won some battles and lost others. He projects as a Day 2 NFL draft selection.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compares Derion Kendrick to Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Darius Phillips. Who is Darius Phillips?

Phillips has played four seasons in the NFL with the Bengals. He was a fifth-round selection in the 2018 NFL draft. He played college football at Western Michigan.

It would be surprising to see Kendrick fall beyond the third or fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. Kendrick was seldom beat during his final season in college. The main concern would be off-the-field issues, which were the reason he transferred from Clemson. To Kendrick’s credit, he stayed out of trouble during his time at the University of Georgia.

Phillips has played in 47 career NFL games, including 10 starts. He has forced eight turnovers and has 73 career tackles.

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Darius Phillips (23) catches a pass during warmups prior to a game. Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Kendrick has the potential to have a more successful career than Phillips. Kendrick came up huge in the College Football Playoff against Michigan. Kendrick had seven interceptions in his final three seasons of college football and is almost always contesting a catch.

Here’s how Lance Zierlein describes Kendrick’s fit at the NFL level:

Cornerback with four years of playoff experience and two national titles under his belt. Kendrick has played against some of the best wideouts in the game but has a history of struggling in some of those matchups. He lacks speed and strength to stay outside but his quickness and route recognition should help him move inside as a nickel. He’s athletic and capable underneath with excellent ball skills but can be exploited by long speed and needs safety help in those matchups. He’s unreliable as a tackler, but concerns over character and maturity appear to be a bigger issue for him. Talent and those concerns need to be weighed, but Kendrick has CB3/CB4 potential in the right scheme.

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Hard-hitting safety Lewis Cine gets lofty NFL player comparison

Georgia Bulldogs safety Lewis Cine is projected to be a high pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He has been compared to Minnesota Vikings free safety Anthony Harris.

Georgia Bulldogs safety Lewis Cine played an outstanding game in the national championship. Cine rose to the occasion when it mattered the most and was named the defensive player of the game for his seven-tackle performance.

Cine is among the 2022 NFL draft’s top prospects at the safety position. Cine hails from Cedar Hill, Texas, and came to Georgia as a four-star safety prospect. He immediately flashed his potential for the Bulldogs in the 2019 spring game.

Cine uses his speed to get to critical points on the field to disrupt a play or deliver a devastating hit. He has been compared to Philadelphia Eagles safety Anthony Harris ahead of the draft. Who is Anthony Harris and is he a good comparison for Lewis Cine?

Minnesota Vikings free safety Anthony Harris attempts to make an interception against the Detroit Lions. Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Harris has spent seven seasons in the NFL. He went undrafted in 2015 after playing college football with Virginia.

Harris began his NFL career as a second-string player but worked his way to a starting role in 2019. Harris has 10 interceptions and 28 pass deflections in his NFL career.

Cine is a decent comparison to Harris. Both are playmakers. Harris and Cine both play in the 6-foot-1, 200-pound range and are solid tacklers. Cine will almost certainly be drafted and should develop quicker than Harris. Cine has the ability to play right away in the NFL. He is projected to be a third-round pick.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein described Lewis Cine’s game as follows:

Cine plays with a willing aggressiveness that fit right in with Georgia’s talented stop unit. He plays with an urgent, downhill approach, which leads to memorable collisions but he’s not always under control in getting there. He doesn’t have desired mass and stopping power for his style of play, but the work gets done. Cine lacks range and instincts to play over the top and is better suited to split safety and down safety alignments. He can handle man coverage underneath but doesn’t have the hips to swing and sway with talented receivers down the field. Cine has future starting potential as a zero flinch safety, but has limitations for defenses to consider.

From our prospective, Cine’s game may be slightly underestimated due to some rough tape of him in the SEC championship when he was not fully healthy. Cine significantly improved in his junior season and made numerous critical plays on the ball. He finished the year with 10 pass deflections.

Anthony Harris is a respectable comparison for Cine, who would be happy if he has a NFL career akin to Harris.

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Who is Travon Walker’s NFL player comparison?

Georgia Bulldogs standout defensive end Travon Walker is ranked as one of the top defensive linemen in the 2022 NFL draft

Georgia Bulldogs standout defensive end Travon Walker is ranked as one of the top pass rushers in the 2022 NFL draft. Walker has impressive speed and strength.

He has positioned himself to be one of the top defensive ends drafted thanks to his incredible 2021 season. In fact, highly respected NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah projected Walker as a top-five selection.

Walker has freaky athleticism, but he also displayed an extremely high motor in the national championship game. He chased down an Alabama wide receiver to save a potential touchdown:

Walker had another memorable play in the College Football Playoff against Michigan. Walker is a reason Michigan looked so physically overmatched against Georgia.

Walker has the potential to dominate on both passing and rushing downs in the NFL. His athleticism is elite, and he has good bend around the edge.

Who is Travon Walker’s NFL player comparison?

Walker has been compared to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Chris Wormley. Wormley recorded 7 sacks in 2021 and is a key piece on Pittsburgh’s defense. He benefits from all of the attention TJ Watt receives, but he produced at a high level.

Wormley was a third-round pick in 2017 coming out of Michigan.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein described Travon Walker’s strengths and weaknesses ahead of the 2022 NFL draft:

Walker is a big, rugged run-stopper with the playing style and body type to play 3-4 end. He consistently outreaches blockers and takes control at the point of attack, and sets firm edges despite playing with limited knee-bend. He plays with violent hands, sluggish feet and all-day aggressiveness. He has quick-shed ability to make plays near his gaps but lacks lateral quickness to play with desired range. He won’t be considered a skilled or threatening rusher from any alignment but can plow his way forward to find occasional success. He’s effective against the run but is likely to be a one-way player who comes off the field on passing downs.

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UGA football’s Nakobe Dean receives NFL player comparisons

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean has been compared to a former Atlanta Falcon legend

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Nakobe Dean is hoping to be a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Dean put up incredible numbers throughout his career with Georgia.

Dean has impressive instincts, football intelligence and is extremely fast. Dean’s biggest knock throughout the NFL draft process will be his lack of size, but does that even matter?

Modern NFL defenses are looking for speed, versatility, sound tacklers and smart players. That sounds exactly like Nakobe Dean, who is an engineering major with strong leadership traits.

Dean has been compared to Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Devin Bush and former Atlanta Falcon legend Jessie Tuggle.

Tuggle is No. 4 in total tackles in NFL history with 1,805 tackles. Tuggle (5-foot-11, 230-pounds) has similar size to Dean.

Tuggle made five Pro Bowls with the Falcons. He played in the NFL from 1987-2000. An NFC executive compared Dean to Tuggle.

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Jessie Tuggle in a 1991 NFL game. Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports

Bush was an undersized linebacker coming out of Michigan, but that did not stop him from being the No. 10 pick of the 2019 NFL draft. Bush has 205 career tackles and four interceptions across three NFL seasons.

Bush and Dean have very similar sizes. Bush is 5-foot-11, 235-pounds and is lightning fast. Dean is 6-foot, 225-pounds with similar speed. Both are built to stop playmakers in space.

Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Devin Bush. Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Nakobe Dean to Devin Bush.

Explosive, three-down linebacker with the demeanor and quickness to become a volume tackler while holding down third-down duties at a high level. Dean’s play recognition is a work in progress, which limits reaction time and forces him to deal with more blockers than he’ll see as he gains more experience. Quick feet and plus agility will bring him to ball-carriers at a high rate but a lack of size and length means he’ll need to fine-tune his approach as a tackler to make sure he finishes what he starts. He might lack measurables, but he has the toughness and technique to see a boost in his performance once his play becomes more proactive.

Dean’s speed and coverage ability could allow him to play like a box safety similar to Jeremy Chinn of the Carolina Panthers and several other NFL players.

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Georgia’s Jordan Davis receives NFL player comparison

Georgia football star defensive tackle Jordan Davis is looking to be an early 2022 NFL draft selection.

Georgia football star defensive tackle Jordan Davis is looking to be an early 2022 NFL draft selection. Davis’ strong suit is stopping the run. He played on some elite run defenses throughout his career with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Now, Davis is being compared to former NFL great Ted Washington. Who is Ted Washington? Why is Ted Washington an interesting comparison to Jordan Davis?

Ted Washington played an incredible 17-year career in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, and Denver Broncos. Washington is a massive nose tackle much like Davis. He is 6-foot-5, 365-pounds and is not a fun guy to run block.

Ted Washington was not a great pass rusher, but recorded 34.5 sacks over his NFL career. Davis may be a little more mobile and better adapted to the modern game than Washington, who played from 1991-2007.

Ted Washington won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots. MPS-USA TODAY Sports

Ted Washington finished his NFL career with 763 tackles, four Pro Bowls, and 10 forced turnovers. The San Francisco 49ers selected Washington out of Louisville with the No. 25 pick of 1991 NFL draft.

Unfortunately for Jordan Davis, he will not play from 1991-2007. Modern NFL offenses are more pass-happy and will not cater as much to his biggest strength.

Still, Davis has a role in the NFL. Not every defensive tackle has to be an elite pass rusher. Davis was solid at rushing the passer, but not spectacular throughout his Georgia football career. He totaled nine sacks in his four season Georgia career. NFL teams still need to stop the run. If then can’t then opposing offenses will assert their will upon them.

Jordan Davis will boost one lucky team’s run defense. Here’s what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has to say about Davis:

Beefy, mountainous nose tackle with the size, power and will to clog the drain and alter the offense’s desire to run between the tackles. Davis has anchor and quick-shed talent to eviscerate single blocks and successfully occupy double teams, allowing linebackers to thrive in pursuit of ball-carriers. He plays upright, lacking agility and reactive quickness to mark up a stat sheet with any consistency, but that’s not what he’s asked to do. Davis won’t be as effective against outside-zone teams and won’t offer much rush, but he could become one of the league’s best run-pluggers as soon as he takes the field.

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Georgia football’s Isaiah Wilson receives NFL player comparison

Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson is projected to be selected in the first few rounds of the NFL Draft.

Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson may have surprised some with his decision to declare for the 2020 NFL Draft, but he’s expected to be one of the top tackles selected. Wilson has excellent size and played right tackle at UGA.

Wilson is a rare NFL quality player out of Brooklyn, New York. He started 24 games during his time in Athens.

NFL.com has compared Wilson to former Minnesota Vikings tackle Phil Loadholt.

Oct 26, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Minnesota Vikings tackle Phil Loadholt (71) blocks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Minnesota Vikings defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-13. Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Wilson, who is compared to Loadholt, is projected as a late second round or early third round pick according to his ‘big board’ ranking. Wilson will look to dominate in the NFL with his size and quickness.

So who is Phil Loadholt? Mostly die-hard football fans or Minnesota Vikings fans have heard of him.

Loadholt was a second round pick for the Vikings out of Oklahoma. He saw immediate playing time as a rookie and helped block for some of Adrian Peterson’s best seasons. Loadholt played six NFL seasons before tearing his Achilles before the 2015 season. In 2016, Loadholt elected to retire, but he had an extremely promising career before then.

Hopefully Georgia’s Isaiah Wilson will have better injury luck than Loadholt. Not a shabby NFL comparison by any means.

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